Spacing mechanism



Sept. 5 1933. J. L. BERNARD El AL SPACING MECHANISM Filed May 15. 1931 5Sheets-Sheet l Jam/55 L. BEEN/4E0 and FEfii/VK K. M Dfl/VEL p 1933. J.L. BERNARD ET AL 1,925,623

SPACING MECHANISM Filed May 15, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 rgj [menlarssSept. 5, 1933.

J. L. BERNARD Er AL SPACING MECHANI SM Filed May 15, 1931 5 SheetsSheet3 Jqmze A. BEE/V460 dfld Few/we K. M- DHNEL.

p 3 J. L. BERNARD ET AL 1,925,623

I SPACING MECHANISM Filed May 15, 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Y W. m Mu Sept.5, 1933. J. BERNARD El AL SPAC ING MECHANI SM Filed May 15, 1931 5SheetsSheet 5 illlllllll lllllllllllllHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIHH\ bweniars:j /755 BEE/VH/ep and FEH/VK K. M Dfl/VEL f m x M Patented Sept. 5, 1933UNITED STATES;

PATE T OFFICE SPACING MECHANISM James L. Bernard, Beaver, and Frank K.McDanel, Ambrid'ge, Pat;- Sophia L. Bernard. executrix. of. said: JamesL. Bernard, deceased Application May 15, 1931. Serial No. 531,740

4' Claims- (Cl. 164-117)- This invention relates to; spacing indicatorsfor punching machines and the like, and, while not limited: thereto,relates more particularly to spacing. indicators: for indicating themovement of a beam' or other work-piece through the punch.

The object. of thisinvention is to provide means forraccurately locatingthe points to-bepunched in a. work-piece while the work-piece is. beingmoved: through the punching machine.

Another object isto: provide apparatus capable of. accurate operationwith any shaped beam or other. work-piece...

In the; drawings:

Figure; 1' is a: plan view ofa punching machine having: the:indicatingmechanism of this invention applied thereto.

Figure 2 is a side elevation thereof.

Figureii is anlenlarged sectional. elevation taken on the: line III-IIIof Figure 1-.

Figure 4 is a plan view of a punching. machine havinga modified form ofindicating mechanism applied thereto.

Figure 5 is a partial side. elevation thereof- Figure 6- is afragmentary sectional plan. showing the guide wheel and tape-operatedpower sprocket-for'the indicator of Figures4' and: 5..

Figure 7 is an enlarged end elevation showing the tape storage drumandcounterweightreturn.

Figure 8 is an enlarged sectional elevation through the indicatormechanism: of Figures 4 and 5'.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 2 designates apunching machineof any usual and well known construction. A- runouttable 3 is provided on the exit or run-out side of the punch and isprovided. with-the usual carriage 4-having flanged wheel's-5 and plainwheels 6 mounted to travel on the table when. the carriage is propelledtherea'long'.

rack '7 is mounted on the table 3 and a shaft 8' is journaled insuitable bearings in the table 3 and provided with a pinion 9 which ismeshed with the rack 7.; The outer-end of the shaft 8 is provided withahand-wheel 10 by which the shaft may be rotated to cause the. pinion totravel along the rack T and propel the carriage 4 lengthwise of thetable 3.

The carriage 4 is provided with gripper jaws 12 adapted togrip theforward end of the workpiece or' beam. to pull or convey itthrough thepunching machine when the carriage is moved or propelled along the table3;.

clcckrtypeindicating mechanismIB is mounted on the carriage and isadapted to indicate the amount of movement. of the carriage andworkpiece along the tablev 3. The mechanism. B coinprises asupportingstructure 14 having a tubular standard 15-. A dial 16 is secured on thestructure 14 and bears two series of indicia, one series rep-1 resentingfeet and. the other representing inches. 0" A vertical shaft 17 isjournaled in the standard 15 and: carries a bevel pinion; 18 on its.lower end which is meshed with a bevel pinion 19 on the inner end of theshaftv 8.

The upper end of the shaft 17 carries a bevel 5 pinion 20 which ismeshed with; a bevel pinion 21 carried. by a tubular shaft 22t journaledin a bracket 23- on the structure-14 and in the dial 16. The shaft 22:projects through the dial and carries an indicating hand 24. adapted tocooperate with one of the series of indicia to indicate the inches oftravel of the carriage and work.

,TAsGCOIld; shaft 25 is journaled in the shaft 22 and; in a. bracket 26and projects beyond the-forward endaof: the shaft 22'. An indicatinghand 27 is mounted on the projecting forward end of theshaft 25 and isadapted to cooperate with the second series of indicia to indicate thefeet of travel of the carriage and: work.

The shaft 25 isadaptedto be. driven from the shaft 22 by means of apinion 28 carried by the shaft 22 and; meshed with a gear 29 on a shaft30 v journaled: in thebrackets 23 and 26 and carrying a pinion3'1-whiclr is meshed-with a gear 32 carried by" the shaft 25.

The respective gearing connecting the shafts 22 and 25 witlr thevertical shaftl'? and the bevel gearsor pinions 1'8 and: IQ-are soproportioned and designed! that the. indicating hands of the device willmove aroundthe; dial 16- at the correct speedtoaccurately-indicate:thefeet and inches of movement of" the; carriage:and, work-piece along the table- 3..

. The vertical. shaft 1-? is provided with a slip coupling 17s topermit. resettingv of thehands 24 .form of the invention in which theindicating mechanism is mounted. on punching machine housing rather thanon. the carriage 4.

In this construction the clock-type indicating no mechanism B is mountedon the side of the punching machine housing nearest the carriage 4instead of on the carriage and a slightly different operating means isprovided for the indicating mechanism drive means.

The indicating mechanism B comprises a supporting structure 36 on whichis mounted a dial 37 bearing two series of indicia, one seriesrepresenting feet and the other representing inches. A vertical shaft 38is journaled in the supporting structure 36 and carries a pinion 39 onits lower end which is meshed with a bevel pinion 40 on a shaft 41 whichextends across the rear of the punching machine to the entering sidethereof.

The upper end of the shaft 38 carries a bevel pinion 42 which is meshedwith a bevel pinion 43 carried by a tubular shaft 44 journaled in abracket 45 on the structure 36 and in the dial 37. The shaft 44 projectsthrough the dial and carries an indicating hand 46 adapted to cooperatewith one of the series of indicia to indishaft 44 and meshed with a gear51 on a shaft 52 journaled in the brackets 45 and 48 and carrying apinion 53 which is meshed with a gear 54 on the shaft 47.

The shaft 41 is the drive-shaft for the indicating mechanism of thisconstruction and receives its power from a shaft 55 journaled inbrackets 56 on the entering side of the punching machine 2 and connectedto the shaft 41 by bevel pinions 57 and 58.

A bracket-plate 59 is mounted on the entering side of the punchingmachine 2 and a shaft '60 is journaled thereon and carries drums 61 and62 on its opposite ends. The drum 61 serves as a storage drum for aperforated driving tape' 63 which is trained down over and meshed withthe teeth of a sprocket wheel 64 carried by the shaft 55. A guide wheel65 is provided for holding the tape 63 in contact with the sprocket 64.

The free end of the tape 63 is provided with a clip 63 adapted to beengaged with the forward end of the beam or work-piece being punched sothat as the work-piece is advanced the tape will be pulled from the drum61 and over the sprocket 64, thereby rotating the sprocket and shaft 55to drive the indicating mechanism simultaneously with the movement ofthe carriage 4 and the work-piece.

The gearing for driving the indicating hands is so proportioned anddesigned that the hands will accurately indicate the travel of the workpiece and carriage in feet and inches.

The drum 62 serves as a storage drum for a counterweight cable 66 whichis trained over a double block and fall 67 carried by a bracket 68. Theblock and fall 67 carries a counterweight 69.

In operation, when the tape 63 is pulled from the drum 61, the shaft 60will be rotated to take up the cable 66 and raise the counterweight 69,and when said tape is released from the workpiece the counterweight 69will exert a pull through the block and fall 67- and cable 66 so as toreversely rotate the drum 62, shaft 60 and.

drum 61, thereby taking up the tape. This reverse movement of the tape63 will reverse the direction of movement of the indicating hands andreturn said hand to zero.

The vertical shaft 38 of the indicating mechanism has a slip coupling 70to permit resetting the indicating mechanism if, forv any reason, thehands do not point to zero when starting the operation.

While we have shown and described certain specific embodiments of ourinvention it will be understood that we do not wish to be limitedthereto since various modifications may be made without departing fromthe scope thereof, as defined in the appended claims.

We claim: 7

1. In a punching apparatus for punching beams, a carriage for conveyingthe beams through said punching apparatus, a clock-type indicator forindicating the movement of said carriage, said indicator having one handindicating the movement of said carriagein feet and another handindicating said movement in inches and fractions of an inch, suitabledrive-mechanism for said hands, means for propelling said carriage, andmeans for operating said indicator hand drive mechanism simultaneouslywith the movement of said carriage, said last named means including asprocket carried by said indicator drive mechanism, and a flexible driveelement meshed with said sprocket and adapted to be connected with theforward end of the beam being conveyed by said carriage whereby movementof said carriage and beam will be communicated through said flexibleelement and said sprocket to said indicator drive.

2. In a punching apparatus for punching beams, a carriage for conveyingthe beams through said punching apparatus, a clock-type indicator forindicating the movement of said carriage, said indicator having on handindicating the movement of said carriage in feet and another handindicating said movement in inches and fractions of an inch, suitabledrivemechanism for said hands, means for propelling said carriage, andmeans for operating said indicator hand drive mechanism.simultaneouslywith the movement of said carriage, said last named means including asprocket carried by said indicator drive mechanism, a flexible driveelement meshed with said sprocket and adapted to be connected with theforward end of the beam being conveyed by said carriage whereby movementof said carriage and beam will be communicated through said flexibleelement and said sprocket to said indicator drive mechanism, and meansfor retracting said flexible element.

3. The combination with a movable carriage, of a clock-type indicatorfor indicating. themovement of said carriage, said indicator having onehand indicating the movement of said carriage in feet and another handindicating said movement in inches and fractions of an inch, suitabledrive mechanism for rotating said hand, and means for operating saiddrive mechanism, said means comprising a sprocket, a flexible tapemember provided with spaced perforations and meshed with said sprocket,a drum on which said tape isnormally coiled, said tape being adapted tobe pulled over said sprocket when saidcarriage is moved forward, andmeans for retracting said tape.

4. The combination with a movable carriage, of a clock-type indicatorfor indicating the movement of said carriage, said indicator having onehand indicating the movement of said carriage in feet and another handindicating said movement in inches and fractions of an inch, suitabledrive mechanism for rotating said hands, and means for operating saiddrive mechanism, said means comprising a sprocket, a flexible tapemember pro vided with spaced perforations and meshed with said sprocket,a drum on which said tape is nor-

